Not that they were making great inroads before...
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Will this help HD attract younger buyers??
- Thread starter timtune
- Start date
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Probably.
I think the day of the Woke might be over, the pendulum swung left, it’s returning to the centre.
Over time laws and regulations evolve to provide adequate protections which reduces the need for special treatment and protections.
Pushing DEI quotas to the point where it overshadows merit or capabilities hurts as many as it helps.
I think the day of the Woke might be over, the pendulum swung left, it’s returning to the centre.
Over time laws and regulations evolve to provide adequate protections which reduces the need for special treatment and protections.
Pushing DEI quotas to the point where it overshadows merit or capabilities hurts as many as it helps.
No it won't, but at least they won't have to listen to people, including core customers bit#$ and moan about it.
sburns
Well-known member
Yeah exactly, there is been a round of "HD has gone woke" hate/nonsense/missinformation being spread on social media. F'n annoying, if this shuts that up, great.
US hard right activists have been running "anti" whatever campaigns for a while. Companies, libraries, local governments, community boards etc....... They have been better organized than the woke crowd and more likely to show up to vote or protest DEI or "woke" polcies.
TSC and John Deere caved because, I suspect, a significant percentage of their customers are rural people and they tend to be GOP, conservative, more religious and Trump / Maga supporters. If local farmers call the John Deere dealership and tell them that they will no longer be buying any JD equipment due to their DEI position you can bet that this info gets sent up the chain to JD senior management pretty quick.
HD is simply bowing to pressure from its customer base, again probably a significant percentage of them being Trump / MAGA supporters.
TSC and John Deere caved because, I suspect, a significant percentage of their customers are rural people and they tend to be GOP, conservative, more religious and Trump / Maga supporters. If local farmers call the John Deere dealership and tell them that they will no longer be buying any JD equipment due to their DEI position you can bet that this info gets sent up the chain to JD senior management pretty quick.
HD is simply bowing to pressure from its customer base, again probably a significant percentage of them being Trump / MAGA supporters.
Why can't we just stay closer to the center all the time
lol
That's not how humans work sadly.Why can't we just stay closer to the center all the time
Hell, even one of the two would be a good first step.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I would guess they are listening to their customers - that's just Business 101.
Before their customers voiced their opinions, those companies likely responded to calls from their shareholders who might be more woke than their customers. That's important too, but when customers start talking, shareholders shut up and listen too.
ROI$$$ usually trumps ideology.
TK4
Well-known member
They had the Street 500s and 750s - nobody bought them.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Thats exactly what happens when you don't listen to your customers.
HD has a base they need to expand, evolving the line to match their existing customers with the intent to simultaneously appeal to more is the best approach. The VROD, PAN AM, and new Sporty were moves in the right direction. Next should be lower, and equipped with a rack that can carry a walker.
The little Honda Shadows wannabees were too far outside their hoola hoop.
Harley will never change, and for all I know or care doesn't need to.
If they want to expand the customer base, the first thing they could try would be to not treat the "non-core" bikes like inside jokes that they are playing on some bunch of wanna be members of the cult. Stop trying so hard to sell brand exclusivity by actively and enthusiastically excluding customers who ACTUALLY bought one of your bikes.
When the Street Rod came out in 2006 I went and looked at it at a dealer. Talking to a salesman he called it a "full face helmet" type of bike, and dismissively added that while he hadn't and wouldn't ride one, "It's not a real harley, but I'm sure it's a pretty good bike if THAT'S the kind of bike you like."
If they want to expand the customer base, the first thing they could try would be to not treat the "non-core" bikes like inside jokes that they are playing on some bunch of wanna be members of the cult. Stop trying so hard to sell brand exclusivity by actively and enthusiastically excluding customers who ACTUALLY bought one of your bikes.
When the Street Rod came out in 2006 I went and looked at it at a dealer. Talking to a salesman he called it a "full face helmet" type of bike, and dismissively added that while he hadn't and wouldn't ride one, "It's not a real harley, but I'm sure it's a pretty good bike if THAT'S the kind of bike you like."
Yep. Exactly my experience.
My co-worker and I were at a sales conference in Tampa and we had a day to kill. We went down to the local HD dealership to rent some Harleys to tool around for a day.
He rented a Fat Boy and I rented a V-Rod. My co-worker is older, white and has a grey hair and hadn't ridden in quite a while. The rental guy was showing him the controls on the Fat Boy and I overheard him saying, "Yeah, those V-Rods are meant for guys like him" as he nodded his head over at me.
He wasn't wrong...
HardRider
New member
I agree, they currently have some "cool" bikes, but the pricing and riding style is out of touch with many riders.
If they spent some time to make a under 20K decent bike with decent tech and "Made in the USA" they would see an increase in motorcycle sales and T-Shirt sales as now buyers could afford them.. LOL
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